Why did the attitude of colonial government towards the freedom of press change after the revolt of 1857? What repressive measures were adopted by them to control the freedom of press?
English officials damped down the native press:
- The English Government wanted to suppress the native press because the vernacular newspapers had become assertively, nationalist. They feared that if their freedom of press is not curtailed, it might encourage the masses to rise against the colonial rule.
- In 1878, the Vernacular Press Act was passed which provided the government with extensive rights to censor reports and editorials in the vernacular press.
- Then onwards the government kept regular track of the vernacular newspapers published in different provinces. When a report was judged as seditious, the newspaper was warned and if the warning was ignored the press could be seized and the printing machinery confiscated.